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The document is a comprehensive guide on research methods in dentistry, authored by Fahimeh Tabatabaei and Lobat Tayebi from Marquette University. It covers essential topics such as research design, evidence-based research, writing proposals, and ethical considerations, aimed at helping dental students and practitioners navigate the complexities of dental research. The book consists of seven chapters that can be used independently or together, providing practical guidelines for conducting research in dentistry and related fields.
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
36 views17 pages

Research Methods in Dentistry Entire Ebook Download

The document is a comprehensive guide on research methods in dentistry, authored by Fahimeh Tabatabaei and Lobat Tayebi from Marquette University. It covers essential topics such as research design, evidence-based research, writing proposals, and ethical considerations, aimed at helping dental students and practitioners navigate the complexities of dental research. The book consists of seven chapters that can be used independently or together, providing practical guidelines for conducting research in dentistry and related fields.
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Research Methods in Dentistry

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Fahimeh Tabatabaei Lobat Tayebi
School of Dentistry School of Dentistry
Marquette University Marquette University
Milwaukee, WI, USA Milwaukee, WI, USA

ISBN 978-3-030-98027-6    ISBN 978-3-030-98028-3 (eBook)


https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-98028-3

© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022


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Preface

Advances in dentistry are the result of great dentists and researchers’ collaboration
efforts in the past, present, and future. Without their efforts, dentistry would not
have achieved its present status. New science and technologies such as smart bioma-
terials, biomimetic, functionally graded materials, tissue engineering, and 3D print-
ing are rapidly finding their way into dentistry. However, many questions remain
about the treatment of specific oral defects such as critical-sized ones or etiology of
oral diseases and the most effective ways to prevent or treat them. Any dental mate-
rial (new resin composite), pharmaceutical (triple antibiotic), and preventive prod-
uct (varnish), or new treatment protocol (guided bone regeneration) needs to be
validated by dental researchers. Having an effective role in the investigation of unre-
solved challenges and participation in the evolution of dentistry require employing
a reasonable research methodology. Therefore, learning the methodology of research
is an integral part of dental education to prepare dentists for a dynamic future that is
dependent on generating new knowledge in this field.
Teaching the research methodology in dental schools is not only for conducting
research but also for obtaining the critical thinking and reading skills necessary to
incorporate new evidence into the clinic. After years of teaching and mentoring
dental students, the authors of this book realized that the growing volume of research
articles during the recent years has overwhelmed and confused many students in
their research activities. They usually ask questions about how to read and cover all
these papers, how to find the points needed in research among hundreds of existing
documents, or how to be sure that what they are doing in their project has not already
been done by other investigators. This book aims to help dental students and future
dental practitioners to overcome such challenges and be competitive in today’s fast-­
growing research environment.
The book presents the research methodology in dentistry in seven chapters. The
chapters complement each other but can also be used independently. The first and
second chapters explain the key concepts and common approaches in dental
research, both in basic science and clinical dentistry. The third chapter familiarizes
the readers with evidence-based research in dentistry and how to write a systematic
review. The fourth chapter explains the process of designing and presenting a

v
vi Preface

proposal. Chapters 5 and 6 discuss reporting the results of scientific studies and
managing the references. The final chapter is about ethics in research, highlighting
the significance of adherence to ethics in animal and human studies. This book pro-
vides practical guidelines for dental researchers; however, it can also be beneficial
for researchers in other fields (e.g., medical sciences and biomedical engineering).

Milwaukee, WI, USA Fahimeh Tabatabaei


 Lobat Tayebi
List of Abbreviations

3D Three-Dimensional
ADA American Dental Association
AFM Atomic Force Microscopy
ANOVA Analysis of Variance
APA American Psychological Association
ARRIVE Animal Research Reporting of In Vivo Experiments
CAD/CAM Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Aided Manufacturing
CI Confidence Intervals
COI Conflict of Interest
CONSORT Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials
COPE Committee on Publication Ethics
COVID Coronavirus Disease
DOAJ Directory of Open Access Journal
DOI Digital Object Identifier
EARR External Apical Root Resorption
EBD Evidence-Based Dentistry
EDS Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy
EMBASE Excerpta Medica dataBASE
Er: YAG Erbium-doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet laser
FDA Food and Drug Administration
GBR Guided Bone Regeneration
GIC Glass Ionomer Cement
GPa Gigapascals
GTR Guided Tissue Regeneration
H0 Null Hypothesis
HIPAA Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996
IADR International Association for Dental Research
ICMJE International Committee of Medical Journal Editors
ICTRP International Clinical Trials Registry Platform
IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers
IgM Immunoglobulin M

vii
viii List of Abbreviations

IL Interleukin
IPD Implant Probing Depth
IRB Institutional Review Board
ISO International Organization for Standardization
JDE Journal of Dental Education
JDR Journal of Dental Research
JDS Journal of Dental Sciences
JPEG Joint Photographic Experts Group
KAP Knowledge, Attitude, Practice
MEDLINE Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online
MeSH Medical Subject Headings
MPC 2-Methacryloyloxyethyl Phosphorylcholine polymer
MTA Mineral Trioxide Aggregate
MTT 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bro-
mide assay
NCBI National Center for Biotechnology Information
Nd: YAG Neodymium-doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet laser
NIDCR National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
NIH National Institutes of Health
NiTi Nickel-Titanium
NOS Newcastle-Ottawa Scale
NSF National Science Foundation
OIERR Orthodontic-Induced External Root Resorption
PDF Portable Document Format
PDL Periodontal Ligament
PICO Patient/Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcomes
PMA Premarket Approval
PMID PubMed identifier or PubMed unique identifier
P–P Percentile-Percentile
PRISMA Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses
qPCR Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction
Q–Q Quantile-Quantile
RCT Randomized Controlled Trial
RevMan Review Manager
RF Risk Factor
RIS Research Information Systems
SD Standard Deviation
SE Standard Error
SEM Scanning Electron Microscopy
SJR SCImago Journal Rank
SPSS Statistical Package for the Social Sciences
STARD Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy
STAs Sequential Thermoplastic Aligners
STROBE Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in
Epidemiology
List of Abbreviations ix

SYRCLE Systematic Review Centre for Laboratory Animal Experimentation


TIFF Tag Image File Format
WHO World Health Organization
WMA World Medical Association
WWH What-Who-How
XML Extensible Markup Language
Contents

1 Introduction to Dental Research������������������������������������������������������������    1


1.1 What Is Research?����������������������������������������������������������������������������    1
1.2 Types of Dental Research ����������������������������������������������������������������    5
1.2.1 Based on the Time����������������������������������������������������������������    5
1.2.2 Based on the Location����������������������������������������������������������    6
1.2.3 Based on the Type of Data����������������������������������������������������    7
1.2.4 Based on the Application������������������������������������������������������    7
1.2.5 Based on the Main Question or Objective����������������������������   10
1.3 Selecting the Research Topic������������������������������������������������������������   22
1.3.1 How to Find the Field or Area of Interest? ��������������������������   23
1.3.2 How to Determine the Research Topic?��������������������������������   26
1.4 Handling Large Volume of Literatures as New Challenge
in Performing Research��������������������������������������������������������������������   30
1.4.1 What Resources?������������������������������������������������������������������   32
1.4.2 How to Read?������������������������������������������������������������������������   33
References��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������   36
2 Design Cycle of Research������������������������������������������������������������������������   39
2.1 What Is the Design Cycle?����������������������������������������������������������������   39
2.2 Investigation (Formulating the Hypothesis)��������������������������������������   39
2.2.1 Analysis of the Collected Information����������������������������������   40
2.2.2 Formulating the Research Question��������������������������������������   42
2.2.3 Decision-Making About the Different Solutions
for the Research Question����������������������������������������������������   44
2.2.4 Formulating the Hypothesis��������������������������������������������������   46
2.3 Designing a Plan (Writing the Proposal)������������������������������������������   50
2.4 Performing the Research (Hypothesis Testing)��������������������������������   51
2.5 Evaluation (Data Interpretation) ������������������������������������������������������   52
References��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������   58

xi
xii Contents

3 Systematic Review and Evidence-Based Research in Dentistry����������   61


3.1 What Is the Purpose and the Process?����������������������������������������������   61
3.2 Formulating Review Questions��������������������������������������������������������   63
3.3 Determining the Search Strategy (Documenting
the Methodology)������������������������������������������������������������������������������   68
3.3.1 Choosing the Keywords��������������������������������������������������������   69
3.3.2 Selecting Databases��������������������������������������������������������������   70
3.3.3 Boolean Searching and Selection Criteria����������������������������   72
3.4 Performing the Review and Searching Studies by Using MeSH������   75
3.5 Quality Assessment��������������������������������������������������������������������������   77
3.6 Extracting Data from Studies (Descriptive Analysis) ����������������������   81
3.7 Data Synthesis and Evaluation����������������������������������������������������������   83
References��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������   85
4 Writing a Research Proposal������������������������������������������������������������������   87
4.1 What are the Requirements? ������������������������������������������������������������   87
4.2 Title ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������   88
4.3 Statement of the Problem/Significance��������������������������������������������   89
4.4 Specific Aims������������������������������������������������������������������������������������   92
4.5 Literature Review (Justification and Feasibility)������������������������������   97
4.6 Research Design��������������������������������������������������������������������������������   99
4.6.1 Type of Research������������������������������������������������������������������   99
4.6.2 Subjects, Sampling Method, Sample Size���������������������������� 100
4.6.3 Data Collection �������������������������������������������������������������������� 104
4.6.4 Data Analysis������������������������������������������������������������������������ 107
4.6.5 Potential Pitfalls and Alternate Approaches�������������������������� 108
4.7 Timetable������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 109
4.8 Budget and Personnel ���������������������������������������������������������������������� 109
4.9 Core Review Criteria������������������������������������������������������������������������ 110
References�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 113
5 Scientific/Clinical Research Report�������������������������������������������������������� 115
5.1 When Should You Start? ������������������������������������������������������������������ 115
5.2 Title �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 118
5.3 Abstract �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 119
5.4 Introduction�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 122
5.5 Materials and Methods���������������������������������������������������������������������� 124
5.6 Results���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 126
5.7 Discussion and Conclusion �������������������������������������������������������������� 129
5.8 Acknowledgment/Conflict of Interest���������������������������������������������� 132
5.9 References���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 132
5.10 Submission of a Manuscript�������������������������������������������������������������� 133
References�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 136
Contents xiii

6 Reference Management in Scientific Writing���������������������������������������� 139


6.1 When and How Should You Cite a Reference in Your Text?������������ 139
6.2 The Digital Style (Numbered Method) �������������������������������������������� 141
6.3 Author-Date Style (Annotated Method) ������������������������������������������ 141
6.4 EndNote Software���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 142
6.5 Mendeley Software �������������������������������������������������������������������������� 146
References�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 149
7 Ethics in Dental Research����������������������������������������������������������������������� 151
7.1 Why Do We Need Ethics in Research?�������������������������������������������� 151
7.2 Ethics in Human Studies������������������������������������������������������������������ 152
7.3 Ethics in Animal Studies������������������������������������������������������������������ 153
7.4 Ethics in Manuscript Writing������������������������������������������������������������ 156
References�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 158

Index������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 161
Chapter 1
Introduction to Dental Research

1.1 What Is Research?

Scientific research is a rational approach that allows the examination of problems to


be solved and the discovery or formulation of precise answers to questions. It is
built on the work of other scientists, can be generalized, and generates new ques-
tions. The purpose of the research could be to earn doctorates or masters, meet
curiosity, make discoveries, provide innovative solutions to complex problems,
develop new products, save costs, advance science, acquire new knowledge, or
improve the well-being of society. The ultimate goal of the research is to create the
knowledge essential for improving health. Without this knowledge, this action is
impossible because it has no logical basis.
The process of research is characterized by the fact that it answers questions in
an organized, scientific, and systematic manner.
• Questions are required for research, and research always arises from a problem
to be solved. Without a specific question, your research will be aimless. In other
words, there is no research where there is no question. Therefore, by stating your
question, you will clarify what your study intends to address. Finding the answer
to the research question will be the objective of your research.
• Organized research begins with a plan or proposal. Non-planned research is
often inefficient, and it may never lead to the researcher’s correct answer.
• The scientific method means that the study is based on reproducibility, feasibil-
ity, and reliability, which we will explain further in the following chapters.
• Finally, using a systematic process means following clearly defined steps in the
research to achieve an accurate answer: If your approach is deductive, you
should: (1) formulate the research question, (2) predict the answer to the research
question in the form of a hypothesis, (3) design a plan, (4) test the hypothesis,
and (5) evaluate and report the results which confirm or reject your hypothesis.
For example, after treating a carious-exposed tooth using calcium hydroxide and
composite, you noticed the dentin bridge formation under restoration. Your ques-

© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022 1


F. Tabatabaei, L. Tayebi, Research Methods in Dentistry,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-98028-3_1
2 1 Introduction to Dental Research

tion is: What is the reason for the formation of the dentinal bridge? You hypoth-
esize that calcium hydroxide caused it. To test this hypothesis, you design a plan.
After examining the effect of calcium hydroxide on dental pulp stem cells, you
can report that your hypothesis has been confirmed or rejected. In an inductive
approach, you should: (1) carefully observe a situation or an individual case, (2)
gather the findings, (3) authenticate the underlying characteristics, (4) find a pat-
tern in other cases, and (5) formulate your theory. The theory of gravity is an
example of an inductive approach. By observing the fall of an apple from a tree
and the recurrence of this fact in other objects, Newton concluded that there must
be a gravitational force that causes this pattern to happen.
Therefore, one of the basic steps in any research project is to choose the research
approach. This choice depends above all on the nature of the problem and the phe-
nomenon being studied. As the deductive approach is more prevalent in dental
research, we will focus on this approach in this book. Similarly, researchers should
be familiar with the different types of research and know their application in their
field of study.
Before dealing with the types of research, it is necessary to understand the exact
meaning of the key concepts in the research literature, which are also used exten-
sively in this book.
Method: The word method may refer to a tool, instrument, experiment, tech-
nique, and test to set up, conduct, collect, analyze, and evaluate data for answering
the research question. Observations, experiments, and statistical approaches are all
examples of the methods employed to conduct the research. For example, you may
work with a “universal testing machine” to obtain the compressive strength of your
new composite samples; you can use an MTT assay (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-
2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide assay) for evaluating the cytotoxicity of these
composite samples; or you may employ “one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA)”
for analyzing your data.
Methodology: The research methodology is broader than the method and refers
to several methods used to efficiently investigate the research hypothesis and
achieve the objective. Accordingly, the methodology may include subsections like
“Research Design,” “Protection of Human Rights,” “Instrumentation,” “Data
Collection and Analysis.” Methodology implies the correct application of the
method, explanations behind the decision of your specific methods (the rationale),
and the recognition of the criteria for choosing a method. Methodology asks: Why
did you use the compression test? Is it the best way to solve the problem? If your
material is brittle, you should consider the diametral compression test. Therefore,
“methodology” or “approach” is the investigation’s work plan and justifies and sup-
ports a particular method’s choice by citing relevant sources.
Using a hook is a method of fishing, while how to use it is your methodology. The
methods used should be valid and reliable, which means that they must precisely
measure the expected properties and, if repeated, lead to the same results. Suppose
that you are studying the effect of a substance on craniofacial regeneration. In that
case, the method you are using should be such that anyone who uses it achieves the
1.1 What Is Research? 3

same results. Sometimes, the method is valid and reliable, and you are performing
it correctly, but it does not answer your question, which means that your methodol-
ogy is incorrect. When your objective is to investigate the effect of mineral trioxide
aggregate (MTA) on the osteogenic differentiation of stem cells, the MTT test will
not answer your question even if it is done correctly. The MTT test is not a proper
method for measuring differentiation. For this purpose, you need to assess the
osteogenic marker expression by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction
(qPCR) [1]. Therefore, your research design guarantees that the correct choice of
methods is genuinely and solely responsible for the results and leads to the correct
answer to the research question. To employ a proper method, you need to under-
stand the research problem accurately. Then, the selected methods should be ana-
lyzed rigorously (clarifying the logic behind them) to ensure the results’ validity,
reliability, and credibility.
Variable is the measurable factor that can vary during research, can have more
than one value, and is involved in answering the research question. The variable
must also be directly observable (sex, color of eyes), or if it is not directly observ-
able (time, temperature, proportion, pH), it can be measured by another measuring
instrument (pH meter). The cause, risk factor, or the variable that can be manipu-
lated in the research method is called the independent variable. The dependent vari-
able is the effect, outcome, or the variable that responds to changes and would be
analyzed to meet the objective. The independent variable can be changed/manipu-
lated/controlled at given levels/doses/values/types by the researcher. Therefore, you
can purposefully change the independent variable, which causes a change in the
dependent variable (the reverse is impossible, which means the dependent variable
cannot cause any change in the independent variable). The dependent variable
should be measurable, and you should know how to measure it. When you study
“the effect of MTA on the osteogenic differentiation of stem cells,” MTA is the
independent variable, and the dependent variable (osteogenic differentiation) is
measurable.
You can observe or measure the dependent variable (effect) to report the correla-
tion or association between the independent and dependent variables or find a dif-
ference between them. We say that an association (correlation) exists between two
variables when a change of one variable coincides with the shift in the other vari-
able. An association can be positive or negative and proportional or non-­proportional.
The association is causal when a change in the independent variable (exposure)
leads to or causes a difference in the dependent variable (disease). For example, you
may assess patients regarding the use of restorative materials and the location of
caries. If the results show that restoration selection depends on tooth type and sur-
faces, there is an association between the two variables [2]. When you assign sub-
jects to groups and compare them to find the difference, the independent variable is
the group classification; the dependent variable is that on which they differ. For
instance, you may distribute several extracted teeth to four groups restored with dif-
ferent bulk-fill resin-based composites (independent variable) and compare them in
terms of internal adaptation (dependent variable) [3].
4 1 Introduction to Dental Research

Hypothesis, in simple terms, is a statement in response to the research question


and should be stated based on the researcher experiences and the findings of previ-
ous studies. This statement can be proven or rejected. To write a hypothesis, the
researcher must determine the variable or groups and predict the relationship or the
difference between them. The null hypothesis (H0) usually predicts no difference
between the control and the study group, while the alternative hypothesis assumes
a difference between groups or association among the variables. Hypothesis plays a
guiding role in the research process and is only validated after experimentally test-
ing. The role of hypotheses is to show the researcher the general direction for con-
ducting research; they prevent the study of resources not related to research, help in
the correct determination of the methods, and provide a framework for interpreting
the information gathered and drawing conclusions. Based on the specific aims of
your research, you may have several hypotheses. In a good research design, reject-
ing a null hypothesis will construct another null hypothesis, and the study will
continue.
The participants/samples are drawn from a population with determined charac-
teristics. As the population of interest is usually substantial, and it is impossible to
work directly on all of them, most research studies involve observing a sample from
a defined population. Sampling is the process of choosing portions of the population
to observe and study. The sampling method can be probable (random) or non-­
probable. It is essential to be aware of the difference between random sampling and
random assignment/allocation. While random sampling is considering a known
chance (greater than zero) of participation for every member of the population to be
selected as subjects, random assignment means that after selecting subjects, you
should also determine a method of randomly assigning the sample into the study/
control groups.
Finally, one of the most crucial parts of the research is the researcher. The
researcher is any person carrying out studies respecting a rigorous methodology to
provide new knowledge. The researcher only deals with facts within a framework
defined by the scientific community. A researcher needs to be passionate about his/
her work, have a good plan, be patient while doing research, and be persistent in
achieving the goal. Among the critical qualities of researcher leading to success in
research, we can cite:
• A curious mind to find new facts.
• Integrity for the value of the scientific method.
• An analytical mind capable of practicing critical thinking.
• Receptivity to criticism at the professional level.
• Open-mindedness and the ability to see the meaning of unexpected observations.
• Objectivity.
Now that we are familiar with the terminology of research, we can more easily
get acquainted with different types of research.
1.2 Types of Dental Research 5

1.2 Types of Dental Research

The type of research significantly impacts the method of data collection and analy-
sis, and if not chosen correctly, it can lead to erroneous results or an inability to
answer the research question. Therefore, it is imperative to decide on the type of
research before starting the project because you cannot change it during the study.
Let’s see what the primary types of research are.

1.2.1 Based on the Time

One of the criteria for research is the issue of time. Based on the time, the researcher
observes the subjects/patients at a given time (cross-sectional studies) or during a
continuous period (longitudinal studies) (Fig. 1.1).
In cross-sectional or prevalence studies, you want to define “what is happening.”
Like taking a picture with a camera, you need to observe all samples of different
groups once at the same point in time or over a short period at the present moment.
When you simultaneously compare the salivary cytokine levels of periodontally
healthy subjects and subjects with chronic periodontitis, your study is cross-­
sectional. Here, you measure the dependent and independent variables (the expo-
sure and the outcome) at the same point in time and cannot predict which came first
(the increase of salivary cytokine or chronic periodontitis) [4]. Consequently, you
cannot infer causality. Another application of prevalence studies is the estimation of
the prevalence of the outcome of interest but not its occurrence. For instance, you
can observe the presence of common dental anomalies in a sample of non-­
orthodontic growing subjects by examining their panoramic radiographs [5]. You
can also use this type of study for knowledge and attitude evaluations by conducting
surveys [6]. If data collection is performed several times in cross-sectional studies,
it can be named a pseudo-longitudinal study. For instance, you select a sample of
adolescents to evaluate the improvement in the toothbrushing frequency and its
associated factors over three studies [7].
In longitudinal studies, the same group is observed continuously or repeatedly
over a period (like a movie) to examine changes over time and understand the rela-
tionship between variables. This study is more accurate than cross-sectional and can
be utilized for discovering the predictors of diseases. When you select two groups
of subjects with/without a high level of a salivary cytokine and recall them

Fig. 1.1 Classification of research studies based on the time


6 1 Introduction to Dental Research

periodically to evaluate the development of periodontitis in each group, subjects are


enrolled in a longitudinal study. The longitudinal research can be retrospective or
prospective:
• Retrospective studies concern any study for which exposure has occurred in the
past, and data will be collected after the exposure or intervention through inter-
views or recorded information of patients. This method aims to analyze and
interpret past events to predict similar events in the future. In other words, this
method expresses “what happened.” Assuming that you are selecting a group of
patients who previously received direct posterior resin-based composite restora-
tions, you are conducting a retrospective longitudinal study if you evaluate the
survival rate of their restoration [8].
• In the prospective study, the research starts now, and the data will gradually be
collected to determine the exposure. You aim to express “what will happen”
regarding the etiology of a disease or the efficacy of an intervention. For instance,
you can analyze salivary biomarkers of bone loss in two sample groups at risk or
no risk of periodontal disease to see in which group more bone loss will occur
[9]. Prospective studies could be interventional (experimental) or non-­
interventional (observational). Non-interventional studies involve only ques-
tionnaires completed at a consultation or routine follow-up of participants. On
the other hand, in interventional (experimental) studies, the intervention is the
researcher’s responsibility. If a group of patients recently received resin-based
composite restorations, and you only examine their restorations every 6 months
for 12 years, your study is observational, while, if you select a group of patients,
repair their teeth by composite restorations after assigning them to different
groups, and then follow up with them over a period, your study is prospective
and interventional.

1.2.2 Based on the Location

Based on the location of the data collection, the research can be divided into two
categories: field research and library research (Fig. 1.2).
Field research involves the researcher’s own observations and data collection.
For example, to evaluate “the salivary cytokine levels in subjects with chronic peri-
odontitis and periodontally healthy individuals,” you need to select the subjects,
collect their saliva, measure the cytokine level in the samples, and then analyze the

Fig. 1.2 Classification of


research studies based on
the location
1.2 Types of Dental Research 7

collected data. This type of research in which the researcher gathers data directly is
also called a preliminary or original study.
In library research, the data is already available and should only be categorized.
Systematic review and meta-analysis are the common forms of library research,
where the researcher refers to the libraries or bibliographic databases and uses exist-
ing data that has already been submitted. Such studies that are based on the results
of primary studies are also called secondary studies. It should be noted that the
library research does not mean the obligation to be in the library, but rather the com-
mitment to the library data. For instance, you can extract information from the his-
topathological data available in the Oral Pathology database [10].

1.2.3 Based on the Type of Data

Depending on the data type, two kinds of studies can be identified: qualitative and
quantitative (Fig. 1.3).
If the information received or collected is not subject to statistical analysis but is
based on an analysis beyond numbers, we refer to it as qualitative research. Here,
you do not deal with numbers and statistics but rely on data explanation and inter-
pretation of a small sample size. Images obtained from the optic, scanning electron,
or fluorescent microscopes; spectra obtained from X-ray diffraction and Fourier
transformation infrared spectroscopy; and a result obtained by cell and tissue stain-
ing are all examples of qualitative data.
In contrast to qualitative research, the emphasis in quantitative research is on
statistics. It aims to collect quantifiable data and statistically analyze them to search
for correlation (association) between variables or differences between groups. In
this approach, sampling is critical to be representative of the population. Data
should be analyzed using statistical methods, and significant or nonsignificant dif-
ferences between groups should be statistically summarized and compared.
Therefore, to ensure the meaningfulness and usefulness of quantitative data, it is
essential to choose the analysis method before data collection.

1.2.4 Based on the Application

Based on the outcome or purpose of the study, the research can be categorized into
three types: fundamental (basic), developmental, and applied (Fig. 1.4).

Fig. 1.3 Classification of


research studies based on
the type of data

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